Assistance Please.

**Silverlion** · 06-28-2012, 01:23 AM

I'm working on a big ol'fantasy world, in bit and pieces. Two of the continents I've got are:

Here are the starting continents:

Here is what I usually get when trying to make a map:

I'm trying to make a realistically believable fantasy map from the air, it doesn't have to be perfect, but give a good idea of what it would look like sans-clouds. Or something solidly fantastic but with accurate enough coastlines/mountains etc.

I also need help making the "matching" continents--how do I get a good fudged coastline for where the next continents came from and once were attached to these continents?

Anyone able to help me?

I've looked at some of the tutorials but nothing has stood out as particularly helpful to me. I'm using Adobe Phot0shop CS 5.1, and an old Intuous 2 pad.

You may have to explain in it simple terms, if possible, as I totally feel like an idiot for NOT getting some of the tutorials I've looked at..

-Tim

**Chashio** · 06-28-2012, 01:40 AM

Hi Tim =)

I'm not sure I understand what you're aiming for. If you attach a link to/photo of another map, or more, that illustrates the style you are hoping to accomplish, it'll be easier for people to give advice.

EDIT: Oh, and, there's also this free pdf book thing, about creating fantasy maps using Earth rules... It's called 'A Magical Society Guide to Mapping'. I found it useful. There are multiple places you can download it from; just do a Google search. You'll find it.

But as a quick pointer, I'd say that newer continental breaks or collisions would be sharper, older ones would have time to erode and soften.

**Depassage** · 06-28-2012, 06:47 AM

Hi Tim and welcome to the Guild!

Like Chashio, I'm not sure to understand what you're looking for. Please, be more explicit, so we can help you.

**Gidde** · 06-28-2012, 08:14 AM

Try Ascension's Atlas tutorial; it gives a good from-the-air photorealistic feel.

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**jfrazierjr** · 06-28-2012, 08:27 AM

I think he is talking about tectonics and how for example, Earth was once Pangea and if you were to take the continents as they exist today, you could "jigsaw" puzzle the continents and somewhat easily see how they originally fit together in the super continent.

**Gidde** · 06-28-2012, 08:37 AM

Jeez it must be earlier in the morning than I thought for me to misread the original post that badly

I blame lack of coffee.

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**Silverlion** · 06-28-2012, 09:21 PM

Aye plate tectonics that cause continents to shift. My brain couldn't come up with the proper term. Thank you.

Maps I like the style of:

http://demetrio.deviantart.com/art/F...-Map-158524443
http://tensen01.deviantart.com/art/U...-Map-136525669

Also, although not aiming for "realistic":
http://www.cartographersguild.com/feature/ValciaMap.jpg

**Midgardsormr** · 07-01-2012, 10:27 PM

Hey there, Tim! It's been a while. (Midgardsormr = Bryan Ray)

I agree with Gidde concerning Ascension's tutorial. It's here: http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...as-style-in-PS
His satellite style is pretty good, too: http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...t-in-photoshop

**Elothan** · 07-02-2012, 02:24 AM

Originally Posted by Silverlion

Aye plate tectonics that cause continents to shift. My brain couldn't come up with the proper term. Thank you.

Maps I like the style of:

http://demetrio.deviantart.com/art/F...-Map-158524443
http://tensen01.deviantart.com/art/U...-Map-136525669

Also, although not aiming for "realistic":
http://www.cartographersguild.com/feature/ValciaMap.jpg

Woha! On that second link there... Farsund ...That is my hometown.. And the other dwarven towns around is places around here.... Never been so flabbergasted with map naming before :p

**Silverlion** · 07-02-2012, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Midgardsormr

Hey there, Tim! It's been a while. (Midgardsormr = Bryan Ray)

I agree with Gidde concerning Ascension's tutorial. It's here: http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...as-style-in-PS
His satellite style is pretty good, too: http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...t-in-photoshop

Hey! Good to hear from you!

As for the tutorials. Thanks everyone, I appreciate it. I'll see about getting these read and try my hand at coloring these maps, see if I can get anything done. I've been messing with moving around continents, and using Photoshop's sphere/3-d modelling to try and see what they look like (vaguely) on a globe. Not perfect but it gives me ideas. I'll do the maps individually I think.

Anyone aware of Mercator projection tools of any kind?

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